Liberty
Escape from Sol In the tumult of the Exodus, The Liberty launched before the other great sleeper ships. Colonists whisper, even today, that the launch date may have been intentionally moved forward against the explicit wishes of the Great Planners. Early launch would have guaranteed the Liberty free access to the worlds of the Sirius Sector before the other sleeper ships arrived, but all proof of such a betrayal of trust was lost along with Earth. Even if the Liberty did launch early, there is little that can be done about it now...but there remains a lingering feeling of resentment among the other houses: a vague feeling that, somehow, Liberty does not entirely deserve the position of superiority it enjoys eight centuries later. Arrival in Sirius When the Liberty first arrived in the Sirius Sector they found an area rich in resources but lacking in habitable planets. With a hundred systems at their fingertips, they settled on those near the center of Sirius where the highest number of main sequence stars and Earth-like planets existed and a fair number of resources could be easily obtained. Eventually they made planet-fall on Manhattan, in the system they christened New York. They began the difficult task of rebuilding civilization two full years before any other sleeper ship arrived.The physical sleeper ship itself was stripped down to allow for rapid building, but has since been refurbished and proudly flaunts Liberty's logo over Manhattan's main landing dock for all travelers to be reminded of just how far Liberty has come. Controlled and contested space The Liberty government considers fourteen systems as part of it's republic: New York, Texas, Colorado, California, Pennsylvania, Ontario, Alberta, Virginia, New Hampshire and Alaska; Virginia and Alaska however are off-limits to everyone but a small number of highly trained Navy members and other government officials. Out of these ten systems, only five have habitable worlds: New York, Texas, Colorado, Pennsylvania, and California. Additionally, due to the war with Rheinland, Liberty currently have occupational control (to an extent) of both the Bering and Hudson independent systems. Economy Liberty is a very capitalistic colony, cherishing free trade above all else. Its location at the center of Sirius has made it extremely rich off of inter-colonial trade, and Liberty's military forces have the protection of free commerce as their primary mission objective. Liberty Exports A list of most important export products and trading objects of Liberty; this includes Cortez, Puerto Rico, Vespucci and Hudson: Food and other agracultural or watercultural products of Liberty: * Tea, Cortez * Food Rations, California * Liberty Ale, New York * Leather, Vespucci * Synth Gel, New York * FloraGro, California * Sunbucks Coffee and Donuts, NY Resources * Water. for example in California * Platinum, Ontario * Platinum Ore, (ore) Alberta * Silver Ore, Vespucci * Boron, NY * Helium, (minable) Pennsylvania * Neon, Pennsylvania * Copper Ore, (ore) Kansas * Toxic Waste, Texas & Ontario * Scrap Metal, (minable) New York * Premium Scrap, (ore) Texas Industrial Products * Bio-Neural Processors, Alberta * Counterfeit Software, Alberta & Kepler * Jump Gate and Trade Lane Parts, Colorado * Luxury Consumer Goods, California * Consumer Goods, New York * Basic Alloy, Pennsylvania * Light Arms, New York * Black Market Light Arms, (illegal) New York * Nanocapacitors , Texas * Manifolds, Puerto Rico * Pharmaceuticals, Colorado * Military Vehicles (Liberty), Ontario * Mining Machinery, Ontario * Industrial Materials, New York * Superconductors, Colorado * Xenobiotic Filters, Hudson Human Resources & Tourism * VIPs, Cortez * Travelers, Colorado * Crew, New York * Prisoners (Liberty), Alberta * Socialites, New York * Slaves, (illegal) New York * Sightseers, California * Marines, New York * Homesteaders, Texas * Passengers (Liberty), Cortez * Vacationers, Texas & Colorado * Scientists, California Foreign relations Due to its position as a center for trade, Liberty maintains diplomatic and economic ties to most of the other houses, with the current exception of Gallia. Liberty has especially strong ties to the house of Bretonia, due in part to their shared culture and language, as well as powerful economic ties that bind the two houses together. The Liberty Navy and Bretonian Armed Forces also have a long history of cooperation, with both houses helping to jointly administer the independent systems of Magellan and Cortez under the Treaty of Curacao. They are both figthing together against Gallia. Liberty also maintains a neutral stance towards the Kusari Empire/Kusari Republic, but relations have been strained over the conflict between Bretonia and Kusari in the Tau systems. However, it is likely that relations between Kusari and Liberty will remain relatively calm, as Liberty relies heavily on several key Kusari exports. Liberty was engaged in a war with Rheinland over allegations of illegal Nomad research by Liberty scientists, as well as arguments over the administration of the independent systems of Bering and Hudson. In 818AS both sides agreed on an armistice. In the following times the relationships between them has been increased. Liberty is also very hostile towards the Nación Maltesa, who's distribution of the drug cardamine have caused major problems within the large population centers of New York and California. Liberty is also officially opposed to the other Hispanic group, the Corsairs, but due to the lack of contact between Liberty and Corsair forces, little actual fighting takes place between the two. Since the Gallic Royal Navy entered the Taus and attacked Bretonia Liberty is in war with Gallia as a result of the military alliance between Bretonia and Liberty. The Commonwealth of Liberty is considered as outcast terrorists. Crime and dissent Liberty has made its share of enemies. Free-market capitalism produces an exploited class as a by-product, and the Xenos, Lane Hackers, and Liberty Rogues are all the remnants of Liberty's wanton lust for profit. While Manhattan has become a cornucopia of wealth, systems like Colorado and Texas, that fuel Liberty's industry, are manned by slave labor convicts, most of which maintain that they were only imprisoned to fuel Liberty's economy.